Park Kyungmin of Hongik University Wins Grand Prize at Shinyoung Cultural Foundation Architecture Award

Park Kyungmin, a student in the Department of Architecture at Hongik University who won the grand prize at the 6th Shinyoung Cultural Foundation Architecture Award, poses for a commemorative photo at Somerset Palace Seoul on the 11th. (Photo provided by Shinyoung)

"NULLPLACE" by Park Kyungmin of the Department of Architecture at Hongik University won the grand prize, the top honor at the 6th Shinyoung Cultural Foundation Architecture Award.

Shinyoung Cultural Foundation, established by real estate developer Shin Young Group, announced on November 13 that it held the final-round judging and awards ceremony for the 6th Shinyoung Cultural Foundation Architecture Award at Somerset Palace Seoul on November 11.

The Shinyoung Cultural Foundation Architecture Award recognizes graduation projects by students graduating or expected to graduate from architecture departments at universities in Korea, with projects recommended by their department chairs. This year, each department could recommend up to 10 projects, and 184 projects were submitted from September 9 to 17.

The judging took place in two stages. In the first-round document review held in October, judges reviewed project descriptions, drawings, and model photographs and selected the top 14 projects. Applicants' identifying information, including their schools and academic advisers, was omitted from the submitted materials so that the projects would be judged on their own merits.

Finalists gave 10-minute presentations in any format, followed by questions and answers with the judges.

Park Kyungmin's "NULLPLACE," which won the grand prize, is a project that explores the possibilities of a new kind of architecture in which digital space precedes physical space, using digital maps and artificial intelligence (AI). It was praised for the freshness and innovation of its ideas.

The top excellence award went to "Amphibious Strata: Coexistence of Blurred Boundaries" by Kim Yugyeong of the Department of Architecture at Kyung Hee University. "Something We Know Yet Do Not Know" by Jung Taeyu of the Department of Architecture at Korea National University of Arts was selected for the excellence award.

The winners will receive a total of 25 million won in prize money, including 10 million won for the grand prize and 5 million won for the top excellence award. All finalists will also receive mentoring from the judges.

This year's judging panel was chaired by Cho Namho, head of Soltozibin Architects, and included Lee Jeonghun, head of Joho Architecture; Professor Choi Hyejeong of Kookmin University's College of Architecture; and Yang Suin, head of Salmgeot Architects.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.